References
Pet owners’ perception and satisfaction of surgery services and outcomes at the Ashanti Regional Veterinary Clinic, Kumasi, Ghana
Abstract
Aim:
To study pet owners’ perception of surgery services and client satisfaction in Ghana in order to improve the quality of surgery services.
Method:
Self-administered questionnaires were administered to owners of pets that were presented for surgery at the Ashanti Region Veterinary Clinic (ARVC). Data generated were presented in percentages with their standard error of means.
Result:
80% of the respondents were satisfied with the cost of surgical management, while 92% were satisfied with doctors’ staff attitude.
Conclusion:
The study revealed an overall client satisfaction of veterinary surgical services at the ARVC however surgeon–client communication need to be improved with respect to knowledge of surgical procedure prior to surgery. Periodic evaluation of veterinary services by service consumers should be encouraged to facilitate service improvement toward better animal healthcare delivery in Ghana.
Pet owner assessment scores for surgery performed on their pets are important client satisfaction indicators, for evaluating the perception of the quality of the veterinary surgical service delivery in a veterinary practice (Verbeek et al, 2001; Turkson, 2008). It is a measure of pet owners’ perception of the surgeon's ability to successfully manage a pet's surgical conditions not only during surgery, but also during restoration to normal function, and with respect to cost and staff attitude. When such feedback responses are encouraged, it motivates a practice to improve on the quality of service delivery necessary for increased clients’ patronage (Moreau, 2007). Pet owners often experience mixed feelings of fear and confidence when seeking veterinary surgery services. Such fears are related to anaesthetic risk, surgery complications, the possibility of pets maintaining cherished, attractive features, ease of pets’ return to normal functions, and likelihood of death during surgical procedures. Occasionally, unmet expectations could lead to litigation between pet owners and surgeons resulting in strained owner–veterinary practice relationships (Serpell, 1996). Provision of adequate veterinary services of acceptable standard or quality has been a major challenge in veterinary health service delivery in some parts of Africa (Cheneau, 2004).
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting The Veterinary Nurse and reading some of our peer-reviewed content for veterinary professionals. To continue reading this article, please register today.